r0ckyreed

Why is there nothing rather than something?

The modern United States Public School System is objectively a waste of time. College is debatable and dependent on one’s study, but public schools K-12 do not teach people how to become wise adults. They just teach math, history, science and English. This alone will not make you wise. Most people’s problems stem from lack of education in their health, psychology, finances, etc. I could have a field year with why K-12 school system is objectively futile.

I have been practicing memento mori - remember, you are mortal, from the Stoics. Reflecting on my mortality and death has allowed me to be more adventurous and courageous in my life because I know this is the only one I get. The teachings of reincarnation and death being imaginary seem like dangerous teachings to me because they dismiss the value of this life and assume that this isn't the only life we live. If I think I am going to live forever, it seems to make me think I have all the time in the world. But the truth is the everyday I grow closer to death. Some people will object saying that "death is imaginary because you are literally imagining that you will die but the only thing you have is this present moment and death is something you are imagining in the future." I don't really agree with this argument because I may be imagining that I am mortal and that death will come, but the reality is that it will. To state this argument is foolish because that's like saying that Sylvester Stallone being dead is imaginary. It is like saying that the tree falling down is imaginary. But the reality is that Sylvester Stallone will die just like Carl Weathers and everyone else before him. The tree will fall down someday. And more babies and more trees will come to existence. Death and mortality might not exist in the immediate present moment and may be something I am thinking about right now, but they are still realities present in the human condition. We can see just how fragile a human being is. To say "death is imaginary" is like saying that "covid and being sick is imaginary" since I am healthy right now. But the reality is that change does exist and is not imaginary. The present moment exists right now and is not imaginary. Everything that you imagine takes place in the present moment of course, but that does not mean that it isn't a reality. Imagination is part of reality. So, therefore, anything I imagine is part of reality. Death is part of reality whether I am imagining it or not. This is what objectivity means. My main criticisms of Actualized Teachings is that they dismiss the concept of "objectivity" and focus on Absolutism and Relativism, but hardly any discussion is on the concept of Objectivity. Objectivity is things that exist whether I am imagining them or not such as gravity, death, and immortality. When I am talking about imagination, I am using that synonomously with thinking. At a higher level, the Universe is creating reality, but at my human level, my human imagination is not creating reality in the same way the Universe is. For instance, I cannot imagine myself being immortal and it becoming true. I cannot change the laws of Consciousness/Physics/Gravity because these things are being "Imagined" by the Universe, which the Universe's power exceeds my egoic power. So, objectivity does exist. People can be wrong about reality. Why would we argue if people couldn't be wrong? Ever thought about that? If it was all just opinion and subjective, then there would be no point in arguing because to say your opinion is more true than someone else's would be a subjective statement, and, hence, you would be contradicting yourself. Saying that death is imaginary is like saying that being blind is imaginary. Sure, I am imagining blindness and I am not blind right now, but if I stick a knife in my eye, I will become blind. I don't need to actually stick a knife in my eye to prove that this will happen. That is just foolish. Me knowing that blindness will happen without directly experiencing it is an example of implicit/intuitive understanding. All I am trying to express is that we should balance the teachings of death being an illusion with the teachings of death being a reality. Death of Consciousness may be an illusion at a higher level, but the death of this human experience is a reality waiting to happen just like how a seed is bound to grow into a tree, and then the tree is bound to fall over. That is its fate. Our human fate is to turn to bones. I find it helpful to reflect on my mortality rather than my immortality so that I can be ambitious in life. I may reincarnate after this lifetime, but I am not going to attach myself to that belief system. I am going to live like this is the only life I get, and I am going to put all of my effort, ambition, discipline, and love into creating the best ego I can create. What are your thoughts?

I’m thinking a short 5 minute daily practice in morning and evening would be good for me and then go and experience life while I am still alive. I never know when I will die. I don’t want to spend my existence in a monastery or cave. I want to spend it being adventurous, curious, and ambitious. Awakening is mysterious, and I believe it can happen when I least expect it.

I watched the Samadhi Documentary. It is good. Anybody else have any good documentaries?

Mega Thread for sharing the best spiritual documentaries. Please share yours! Here is mine: Limitless with Chris Hemsworth

He's referring to it in the context of insight, which is what I am referring to as "a waste of time" in this thread. There is no denying that meditating can give me peacefulness, but truth and bliss aren't the same thing.

I will just have to find the time to do a more intensive meditation retreat. The main thing that is holding me back is that I have 120 hours of paid vacation time per year, and I honestly would rather use that time to travel and go on adventures around the world than to spend all that time, confining myself in one room, one space, just sitting and meditating. Maybe confining myself in extreme solitude like that could elevate my consciousness, but I just have too much of an adventurous personality to just sit still and do nothing.

Thanks! So since death is real and imaginary, I still think it is helpful to live as if I will die and only have one life. That way I savor it and enjoy it to the fullest. I honestly go back and forth and see both sides to YOLO and Reincarnation. I personally lean more on the side of YOLO when I find myself being complacent and shy to talk to girls. But I see Reincarnation being true when I am thinking about where existence is going.

Look up what a straw man is and then reread my entire post.

False! I wrote a post about memento mori, and he responded that he does the opposite practice of living as if he will never die.

No. It is the idea that when you die, you will go to Heaven and have 69 virgins waiting for you. If people realized that this is it, they might be filled with more love instead of hate and not throw their life away.

But NDE’s are also imaginary. If we say that Death is imaginary, then Life has to be imaginary since it is its opposite. But then if imagination is the opposite of reality, then there is no difference between reality and imagination. So, therefore, death is imagination and reality. I am imagining it right now because death is also reality. If it wasn’t, then all those shootings and COVID are also imaginary.

What are some of your recommended meditation retreats? I want to see if I can level up my meditation because I realize that this is my only life, and I want to dive deep into the nature of reality and suffering. I would love to go to the Himalayan Mountains someday. I am thinking about going to the Himalayan Mountains this Summer, but I am open to it. Ever since I got heartbroken from my previous relationship, I want to get back into spirituality. Please share your thoughts on meditation retreats that you found were amazing for your growth. I want to invest in traveling and going to meditation retreats, as well as hiking in the mountains such as the Himalayan Mountains. Thanks!

Is there such a thing as an Absolute distinction? If not, then how do relative distinctions even exist in the first place? If there is, then what is an absolute distinction? I feel like you aren’t making a distinction between objectivism and absolutism. Objectivism and Absolutism aren’t the same. I thought I did a great job at distinguishing relative and absolute in my original post. I said death is an illusion at the level of the Universe but not at the level of a human being. What more can I do? We are basically saying the same thing. I am just saying that it isn’t practical to live as if death doesn’t exist. It doesn’t even fit reality. Birth and death are happening all around us inside the Universe. It is kind of redundant to say absolute death doesn’t exist because the whole concept of death is something that is inside the Universe, which means that the Universe itself is not subjugated to that reality.

Amen.

It’s as if truth-seeking is a meaningless pursuit in the most literal sense because all meaning is false-seeking. We have to live in some falsehood in order to even have a chance at understanding. For instance, even though food and sleep are hallucinations, I still need to engage in those illusions to live. I just don’t see how Truth can’t also be practical. Realizing that the ego is an illusion is so useful because I no longer need to take myself and reality so seriously. I don’t have anxiety when I am in alignment with Truth.

Does anybody have any actual meditation retreat examples. There is value in leaving your distractions and comfort zone.

Interesting. I had that perspective. Another perspective is that such places can provide structure and environmental exposure.

All good. I am trying to let go of my attachment to women and sex. It isn't good for my mental health. I am just going to keep focusing on myself and exploring the Universe directly. What I want out is what no woman can give me. I want a woman who takes initiative and who has a healthy balance of masculinity and femininity. I haven't found such a woman and doubt she would even be interested in me. It is crazy because I see myself as an amazing person, but it seems like I am not what women are looking for. I am highly energetic/enthusiastic in my life. I think women cannot handle me or somehow I repel them. I guess it should not be my concern. If they don't like me for being authentic, then they don't deserve me. I would treat them better than most guys they run into. Sorry for my rant. I am just frustrated with feeling alone. It is hard for me to be truly liked for form relationships. I am always having to imitate things, and I am tired of it. I am at the point in my life where if people don't put in the effort, then I am not going to invest either. Investment in myself and God is better than any investment in a relationship.

The biggest lie after ego is believing that sex and romantic relationships will fulfill you. No amount of sex and partners will fulfill you. It is so tricky because relationships and sex are basically like drugs. You get hooked on it and then once you orgasm or kiss your partner goodnight, you are still left with that emptiness feeling. It’s an illusion of happiness but in reality just another form of cheese chasing. Life is a maze and we are all rats. Falling in love with another rat is a trap because it prevents you from escaping the maze. Most rats are after cheese. If you find a partner that also wants to escape the maze with you, then you are in luck but not really. This is because relationships are another maze within the Maze. This does not mean that sex/relationships are evil. It just means that they will put a governor on your mind and happiness. True happiness comes from exploring the Maze and escaping it. Of course, there will is a limit because to truly “escape” the Maze is to physically die. But even death cannot escape the Maze because the idea of death itself is part of the Maze and is something that the Maze has created. The only way you can “escape” the Maze is by understanding the Maze to the highest levels possible by accessing God levels of intelligence beyond rat intelligence. Just notice that there is an orgasm (body), mindgasm (mind) and heartgasm (soul). If you just focus on the body element, you are missing out on 2/3s of the rat experience. You need to experience a mindgasm, penetrating into the insight of infinite intelligence. And heartgasm, the insight into infinite love, beauty, and perfection. No amount of sex or relationships with other people will fulfill you. The only thing that ever truly will is having sex with Infinite Love, which is beyond personal, it is metaphysical.

Enlightenment doesn’t exist.

Nobody knows anything other than that the present moment exists and is infinite and eternal. There can be no other moment than the present. All else is a belief or thought in this moment.

Consciousness. Read my answer above.

The Universe knows itself through us.